Elements of Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition

Chapter 1 Exercises

This spreadsheet is used to solve the Exercises to Chapter 1.

Although the worksheet contains the data from the Exercises in the book,
be changed so that the reader can see the effect of varying the soil mass,

Select any worksheet to see the exercise.

Ian Smith, Sept 2005

hapter 1.

Exercises in the book, the data may

varying the soil mass, properties etc.
 Sieve (mm) Mass (g) % retained % passing
50.0 0 0.0 100.0
37.5 15.5 5.0 95.0
20.0 17 5.5 89.5
14.0 10 3.2 86.3
10.0 11 3.5 82.8
6.3 33 10.6 72.2
3.35 114.5 36.8 35.4
1.18 63.3 20.4 15.0
0.60 18.2 5.9 9.2
0.150 17 5.5 3.7
0.063 10.5 3.4 0.3
pan 1 0.3

Total Mass (g) = 311

P ercentage passing

100.0

90.0

80.0

70.0

60.0

50.0

40.0

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
0.0 0.0 0.1 1.0 10.0 100.0
Particle size (mm)
 Sieve (mm) Mass (g) % retained % passing
0.600 0 0.0 100.0
0.425 11 1.7 98.3
0.300 28 4.4 93.9
0.212 77 12.0 81.9
0.150 173 26.9 55.0
0.063 321 50.0 5.0
pan 32 5.0

Total Mass (g) = 642

P ercentage passing

100.0

90.0

80.0

70.0

60.0

50.0

40.0

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
0.001 0.010 0.100 1.000
Particle size (mm)
 Exercise 1.3

1 2 3 4 5
Penetration (mm) 15.9 17.1 19.4 20.9 22.8
M/C (%) 32.0 32.8 34.5 35.7 37.0
C o n e p e n e tr atio n (m m )

24

R = 0.9994310715
22

20

18

16

14
30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
M ois ture Conte nt (%)

LL = 35 %

Page 7
 Exercise 1.3

38 39 40

Page 8
 Exercise 1.4

Test No. 1 2 3 4 PL PL
Wet mass (g) 33.2 32.1 28.2 31.0 11.83 15.04
Dry mass (g) 28.2 26.5 22.4 23.9 11.25 14.07
Tin (g) 7.02 7.04 7.10 7.02 7.04 7.25
Penetration (mm) 14.5 17.0 20.9 22.7 - -

M/C (%) 23.6 28.8 37.9 42.1 13.78 14.22

Penetration (mm) 14.5 17.0 20.9 22.7
C o n e p e n e tr atio n (m m )

24

R = 0.9993765234
22

20

18

16

14
22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46
M ois tur e Conte nt (%)

Page 9
 Exercise 1.4

correlation coefficient =

Page 10
 n= 0.35
Gs = 2.73

e= 0.54
d = 1.77 Mg/m3

NB: e= n+ne e-en = n e(1-n)=n e=n/(1-n)

 V= 14.88 ml
Gs = 2.7
Mw= 28.81 g
Md= 24.83 g

m/c = 0.16
bulk density, b = 1.936 Mg/m3
dry density, d = 1.669 Mg/m3

e = (Gs/d) -1 0.618
Sr = (b(1+e)-Gs)/e 70.0%
 V= 478 ml
Gs = 2.67
Mw= 884 g
Md= 830 g

m/c = 0.07
bulk density, b = 1.85 Mg/m3
dry density, d = 1.74 Mg/m3
e = (Gs/d) -1 0.538

Sr = (b(1+e)-Gs)/e 32.3%

emin:
density of dry soil: 1.99 Mg/m3 (=Md/418)
emin = (Gs/d) -1 0.345

emax:
density of dry soil: 1.35 Mg/m3 (=Md/616)
emax = (Gs/d) -1 0.982

RD = 69.7%
 V= 1.664 litres
Gs = 2.69
Mtube = 1.864 kg
Msoil + tube = 5.018 kg
Mdry soil + tube = 4.323 kg

Mwet soil = 3.154 kg

Mdry soil = 2.46 kg

w= 28.3 (%)
bulk density = 1.90 Mg/m3
dry density = 1.48 Mg/m3
e = (Gs/d) -1 0.820
Sr = (b(1+e)-Gs)/e 92.7%
This spreadsheet has been downloaded from the website that supports
Smith's Elements of Soil Mechanics, 8th Edition

Published by Blackwell Publishing, May 2006

ISBN: 1-4051-3370-8

Visit the website:

http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm

Purchase the book:

(Blackwell Publishing website)

Please note:
This spreadsheet is an aid for learning and should really only be
used in conjunction with the relevant section in the book.

It is not intended for use in geotechnical design.

Ian Smith, May 2006

http://sbe.napier.ac.uk/esm